• What is Augmentation ?

    06-02-2023 11:53 PM
    When the heart contracts during its pumping phase (systole), the coronary vasculature is squeezed by the powerful contraction of heart muscle, limiting the flow of blood to and within the muscle (myocardium). The myocardium must therefore re...
  • IECP is a safe, outpatient, non-invasive treatment. So you don't have to restrict any of your daily routine work. You can fix your one-hour time treatment schedule according to your convenience. Before you start the treatment you will be ask...
  • Clinical studies have shown that IECP® is an effective treatment for angina. A randomised, controlled, blind study showed a significant increase in the length of time that participants who received active treatment were able to exercis...
  • Patients can walk further, carry heavier packages, and be more active without having angina. Patients have fewer episodes of angina. Episodes of angina are less painful. Patients need less anti-anginal medication....
  • The body has its own solution to an inadequate blood supply caused by blocked or partially blocked arteries. When an artery is severely narrowed, the body can increase the amount of blood flowing to the heart muscle by opening up small branches of...
  • What are the risks ?

    06-02-2023 11:46 PM
    Some patients have experienced minor skin irritation due to the pressure of the cuffs. You should consult with your physician regarding any risk and complication factors...
  • Unlike procedures such as bypass surgery and balloon angioplasty, IECP® treatment is administered in outpatient sessions, carries little or no risk, and is relatively comfortable. Some patients with more extensive disease or who have d...
  • Unlike procedures such as bypass surgery and balloon angioplasty, IECP® treatment is administered in outpatient sessions, carries little or no risk, and is relatively comfortable. Some patients with more extensive disease or who have d...
  • Patients typically attend one-hour treatment sessions once a day, five days a week, for seven weeks. Many people have continued their employment while receiving treatment by scheduling their sessions before or after work. Patients with exten...
  • In 1989, researchers at State University of New York at Stony Brook began clinical studies of ECP treatment. Until the summer of 1995, ECP therapy was only available to patients participating in clinical studies. Today, ECP therapy is availa...
  • A recent study “The prospective evaluation of IECP in Heart Failure (PEECH) Trial” showed that ECP can benefit patients with stable heart failure (HF) and Left Ventricular Dysfunction (LVD)....
  • What is Angiogram ?

    06-02-2023 11:50 PM
    Angiograms are used to evaluate the condition of the coronary arteries and nourishment of the heart muscle. A dye which can be imaged by x-ray techniques is injected into the heart's blood vessels via a catheter, providing a recordable view ...
  • What is Angioplasty ?

    06-02-2023 11:52 PM
    Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) is an invasive procedure that involves inserting a slim hollow tube through a major artery and into a blocked vessel. A small balloon at the tip of the catheter is inflated alongside the ...
  •  Not necessarily but some patients who want to compare the post-IECP treatment improvement with their previous reports. They can repeat their Exercise treadmill test or Echo cardiography or nuclear scan after the treatment. Some physici...
  • What is blood pressure ?

    06-02-2023 11:54 PM
    The amount of blood pumped out of the heart (cardiac output), the tone of the walls of the arteries (vascular resistance), and the volume and viscosity of the blood influence the pressure (expressed in millimetres of mercury) of the blood ag...
  • What is cardiac Cycle ?

    06-02-2023 11:55 PM
    The cardiac cycle is the period from the beginning of one heartbeat to the beginning of the next. The cardiac cycle includes diastole when the heart relaxes and fills with blood and systole when the heart contracts and pumps blood out of the...
  • When a blockage (stenosis) within an artery prevents that vessel from delivering an adequate supply of blood to the tissues it serves, the body can sometimes compensate by developing and/or opening small specialised vessels to transfer blood...
  • What are coronary Arteries ?

    06-02-2023 11:56 PM
    Enveloping the heart, these arteries provide the heart with its own nourishing supply of blood...
  • In traditional bypass operations, an incision is made along the midline of the chest through the breastbone. During part of the operation, heart and lung functions are assumed by a heart-lung machine. Blood vessels from another part of the body ...
  • Every year one million Americans develop atherosclerosis, partial or total blockage of arteries caused by deposits of fatty substances (plaques) in and on the walls of the vessels. The coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart are esp...
  • An electrocardiogram is a recording of the heart's electrical activity. It is detected by electrodes attached to the skin, and recorded in waves that are displayed graphically. The ECG provides information on heart rate, rhythm, and function. An...
  • What is restenosis ?

    07-02-2023 12:00 AM
    Unfortunately, treatment to clear blockages often results in cell re-growth that can obstruct vessels again. This condition called restenosis occurs after 20 to 30 percent of PTCA procedures. (Source: The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therap...
  • For patients who have undergone CABG, repeat procedures are sometimes necessary. Six to ten percent of CABG procedures are now re-operations. However, re-operative mortality rates are two or three times those of the initial procedure and ran...
  • Coronary perfusion scanning is a nuclear imaging technique used to evaluate coronary blood flow. Agents containing tracers such thallium-201 or technetium-99m are injected into the blood stream. The material is...
  • WHAT IS SYSTOLIC UNLOADING ?

    07-02-2023 12:05 AM
    During IECP® treatment, the air cuffs are simultaneously and quickly deflated at the beginning of each systole (ventricular contraction), relieving the compressive force that was being maintained by the infl...
  • IECP is safe. Occasionally, some patients experience mild skin irritation under the areas of the blood pressure cuffs. The IECP therapists can cope up with this irritation by using extra padding to make the patient comfortable. Some patients...
  • What causes Angina ?

    06-02-2023 10:03 PM
    The coronary arteries are small arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle. This blood flow provides the oxygen and nutrients needed by the heart itself so that it can keep pumping. If the ...
  • Angina episodes often occur when narrowed or blocked coronary arteries are unable to supply enough blood to the heart muscle. It adversely restricts people from normal daily activities A person is able to walk but unable to do running...
  • How is Angina avoided ?

    06-02-2023 10:07 PM
    Basically, doctors recommend controlling the risk factors that contribute to the underlying coronary artery disease. These risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, cigarette smoking, high blood cholesterol levels, and excess weigh...
  • Angina is usually controlled by one or more medications that either increase the supply of oxygen to the deprived heart muscle by dilating coronary vessels, or decrease the heart's demand for oxygen by slowing the heart rate, decreasing the intens...
  • Bypass surgery or angioplasty is usually recommended if medication fails to ease angina or if the risk of heart attack is high. For some patients, IECP® treatment is another option that may relieve or eliminate angina by improving oxyge...
  • What does IECP stand for ?

    06-02-2023 10:10 PM
    The acronym IECP stands for - Increased External Counter-pulsation....
  • What is IECP treatment ?

    06-02-2023 10:13 PM
    IECP® or Increased External Counter-pulsation treatment is a non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical, treatment for heart disease that is used to relieve or eliminate angina. During the treatment, blood pressure cuffs are wrapped around your l...
  • Unlike procedures such as bypass surgery and balloon angioplasty, IECP® treatment carries very little or no risk and is very comfortable. Increased External Counter-pulsation is an option for patients who are unsuitable for invasive pro...
  • Patients lie on a padded table in a treatment room as shown in the adjoining picture. Three electrodes a...
  • Ask your physician to evaluate you. You may be a candidate for IECP® if you: Have chronic stable angina. Are not receiving adequate relief from angina by taking nitrates. Do not qualify as a candidate for inva...
  • Normal heart function depends on maintaining a balance between oxygen supply and demand. Oxygen consumption by the cardiac muscle is determined by how fast your heart is beating and how well it pumps. The amount of oxygen available is determined b...
  • The length of treatment may be a consideration for some people. It can take between four and seven weeks to complete a course of IECP® treatment. During that time, patients must visit an outpatient clinic and receive treatment for one t...
  • What is Angina ?

    06-02-2023 10:01 PM
    Angina pectoris, commonly known as angina, is chest pain due to ischemia (a lack of blood and hence oxygen supply) of the heart muscle, generally due to obstruction or spasm of the corona...
  • Patient can walk more distance without chest pain Patient would have fewer or no angina Episodes of angina would be less painful Patient can return to work and can participate in their active life style once again...
  • You are encouraged to go for your IECP treatment every day. However, missing a day will not have a negative effect on your overall results. When you come back, you will simply pick up where you left off, and the missed treatment will be adde...
  • No... Our bodies obey the laws of physics, and one principle law is that fluid will follow the path of least resistance. Atherosclerotic plaques are calcified and hard, and they create an obstruction that detours the blood through alternate routes...
  • Yes. If you have hypertension that is properly managed, you may undergo IECP without difficulty. Oftentimes, patients with hypertension find that their blood pressure improves as they proceed with IECP. If your hypertension is uncontrolled, ...
  • Yes, and you should! IECP improves blood flow throughout the entire body, including your legs. If you have poor leg circulation, you might need more than 35 treatments. My patients typically require at least 50 treatments to get the full ben...
  • Yes. Varicose veins are typically a cosmetic issue, not a medical one. As such, they do not prevent individuals from receiving IECP. An IECP therapist can use extra padding in patients with varicose veins to ensure maximum comfort....
  • Yes. Having a history of a blood clot (deep venous thrombosis or DVT) in your leg does not prohibit you from having IECP. It is recommended that you have Doppler ultrasound of your leg to confirm the blood clot has resolved before beginning ...
  • No. In fact, in July 2002 the FDA approved ECP as a treatment for congestive heart failure (CHF). After completion a course of ECP treatment, Patients with CHF typically have less swelling in their legs, less shortness of breath, less fatigu...
  • No. World over hospitals have successfully treated patients as young as 36 and as old as 97 without any difficulties. Many of patients are in their 80s and complete the entire IECP program with excellent results....
  • Yes! Most of the patients undergoing IECP are those who have already had one (or many) of these procedures. They are recommended IECP treatment because they still have angina....
  • All these current mode of treatments help the heart by increasing the blood flow to the area of the heart muscle not receiving adequate blood supply. Once the blood supply is increased towards normal the patient's chest pain will be decreased or e...